Before Ciel knew it, he found himself standing with Elizabeth under the statuesque gazebo that adorned the garden. The shadows of the pillars fell on him like prison bars as he shifted uncomfortably, feeling cornered. Near the gazebo, a string quartet were discreetly positioned in the shadows, their bows were already lifted and poised to play... Just waiting for Ciel's proposal and Elizabeth's yes, before adding some swellin music to the dramatic "happy" moment. Elizabeth looked at Ciel, as Francis stood near the gazebo with everyone else from the party gathered around them, gesturing him to hurry it along.
There was no way that the boy had ever intended on marrying someone like Elizabeth. The thought never occurred to him. MARRIAGE never occurred to him in general. But this was what was expected of him. Apparently. Though he himself was completely against the idea.
He turned his attention away from the murmuring crowed around them, his gaze falling upon the girl in front of him. He frowned slightly, unhappy with this entire arrangement. This was not how he imagined things going.
Regrettably, he moved himself so he was kneeling before the girl, her hand in his, as he peered up to her with a half lidded sapphire eye, his right covered with a black, velvet eye-patch.
“…Elizabeth Middleford...” he began. Ugh. This was horrid.
Though his attention was drawn away from his words, spotting an out of place colour against the girl’s bright dress.
“…You have a caterpillar on your shoulder.” he mumbled to her quietly, as not for the rest of the crowd to overhear.
Again his attention had been drawn away from something he did not wish to dwell upon, the bug resting happily upon the fabric of the other’s dress being a better subject to substitute for his expected engagement. Ah, whatever was he supposed to do now...
Elizabeth jerked backward and began frantically brushing at her shoulder, wriggling in disgust. As Ciel took it off her shoulder, she looked at his hand and grimaced as he came to kneel down again, as she pulled her hand away slightly.
"Y-You'll want to wash that finger." She said, edging away from him slightly. Someone cleared their throat nearby, and the two young people in the gazebo glanced around to see Elizabeth's mother, gesturing eagerly at them. In fact, a whole crowd of people were watching them now, making Elizabeth uncomfortable also as she looked down at the boy in front of her.
"Elizabeth Middleford?" her question hung in the air for a long moment, as everyone stared at Ciel.
There was silence from the boy, the quiet twittering of birds and murmurs of impatient guests breaking the moment as the earl remained kneeling before the girl.
Hrmph. This was his duty to do, and as such he had no right to question it. Though this was completely against his wishes. The two of them had nothing in common, so their marriage would no doubt end as a failed one. Which seemed like far too much of a bother to deal with.
In the midst of his thoughts, again there was a flash of white fur, a small rabbit, adorning a waist coat leaned against a tall grey coloured pillar, it’s white gleam being dulled by the constant fading and reappearing sunlight. It seemed to glare at him with undisguised impatience. If rabbits could even glare, that is. He couldn’t quiet recall ever seeing an animal with such a facial expression. Except within his dreams.
“…” He gave up, rising to his feet once more. “…I need a moment”
He bowed slightly to Elizabeth, his eye emotionless despite the eyeing of the crowed, before turning and quickly walking off away from the gazebo, horrified gasps and mutters spreading throughout the crowd.
Elizabeth looked at him in disbelief as the mother ranted on at Sebastian and how "rude" his master was being. In the meantime, the white rabbit ran across the manicured garden, into a thicket of woods, and out into an open meadow. Small yellow butterflies darted over the tall grass, and hedge rows rose up along the edges. As Ciel ran after it, the rabbit quickly looked at his watch, as Ciel lost sight of him in the long grass.
BINABASA MO ANG
